Nursery-chair



(Mod'eL) G. W. SWAIN.

NURSERY CHAIR.

No, 248,366. Patented 001; 18,1881.

Invenfor;

Z MQ M UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SWAIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

.NIURSERY-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,366, dated October18, 1881.

Application filed September 11, 1880 (ModeL) To all whom it may concernBe it known that I, GEORGE W. SWAIN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inNursery-Chairs, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in nursery-chairs; and itconsists in the construction hereinafter described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa device em bod ying the elements of the invention. Fig. 2 is a backview of the same; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing the chairlowered. Fig. 4 is adetached perspective view ofa modification of theinvention.

A indicates a chair, having rockers B and a play-shelf,f. The chair A isset upon the table or platform D, mounted upon the upper ends of thefolding adjustable legs E, which cross each other at each side of thedevice, and are connected above their transverse centers by the platesm. The upper ends of the legs E are supplied with pivots n, which extendthrough the slots 0, out in the sides 8 of the platform, and areprovided on their ends with suitable nuts or washers to insure theirfree movement in and prevent their withdrawal from the slots 0. Theupper ends of the front pair of legs E pass upward and rearward, and areretained between the sides of the table D by means of their pivots andthe rear slots, 0, while the upper ends of the rear pair of legs Eextend upward toward the front, crossingthe front legs on their outersides, and having their extremities movably secured on the outside ofand close to the sides of the table D by the pivots 11, beforedescribed. Upon the lower ends of the legs E are provided small wheelsF, upon which the chair may be moved from place to place. The lowerportions of each pair of legs E are connected by the rods t, for thepurpose of strengthening them and preserving their relation to eachother.

Upon the upper portion of the front legs E are pivoted the upper ends ofthe rack-bars u, their lower ends being secured upon the rear rod, 15.Each rack-bar a is supplied with a series of teeth, to, which engage thepins 92, se-

hingedor swingingblock H, which is hinged, in the present instance, by asheet of leather or other flexiblematerial to the cross-rod I, securedbetween the front pair of legs E.

r The width of the chair A and the platform D will be very nearly equal,the platform being slightly the wider. For the purpose of retainin g thechair upon the platform D and allowing it a free rocking motion I haverigidly secured upon the sides of the rockersB the In gs or hangers M,which project downward on each side of the platform D, and are retainedin that position by the pins N, which pass through the slots P, out inthe lower portions of the lugs M, and enter the sides of the platform.The slots P are in the form of two plain slots out upon the two equalsides of an isosceles triangle and merging into each other at the apexthereof, as shown in Fig. 1. When the chair is in an upright positionupon the table D the pins N will rest in the apices of the slots P. Whenit is rocked forward the front portion of the slots P will ride up onthe pins, and when it is rocked rearward the rear portion of said slotswill ride upward on the pins. Thus the chair is allowed a free rockingmotion, and is at the same time prevented from tilting or workingsidewise. The length of the sweep of the chair A may be determined atwill by the length of the slots P.

I propose to connect the rockers by a rod, R, and the sides of the tableby a rod or bar, S, and then connect these two bars by rubber bands T,springs, or other elastic means, which will exert a downward tension onthe rod R and operate to gradually draw the chair to an upright positionupon the platform. When the chair is rocked forward or backward theaction of the tension will be to draw the chair in the contrarydirection. Thus, when the child is rocking there will be no danger ofthe chair remaining in any but a vertical position.

The elevation of the platform D, supporting the chair A, may beregulated at will by adjusting the hinged block H with relation to theracks to. When it is desired to elevate the platform D to its highestpoint it is simply necessary to force the lower portions of the twopairs of legs E toward each other until the pins 00 on the block H fallinto the lower notches of the racks to, whereby the said platform isretained in its elevated position. The elevation of the cured in thesides of the rear portion of the l platform D may he graduated byengaging the pins as in the notches of the racks to either at the top orbottom, according as the platform is to be lowered or raised. When thepins :0 are disengaged from the racks u altogether the lower and upperends of the legs E will spread apart and cause-the platform and chair tolower, whereby the device will be transformed from a nursery-chair intoa carriage, which may travel on the wheels F.

In the foregoing description the upper ends of the legs E are describedas having a sliding movement in the slots 0; but I do not limit myselfto the use of the slots, as various other means may be devised ofsecuring the legs in position and at the same time allowing them thissliding movement. For instance, guiderods might be secured to the sidesof the de vice and the legs connected with them by lugs or othercontrivances which would slide upon the rods, as indicated in Fig. 4.The rockingchair, the devices for retaining same on the platform, andthe play-shelf'are not sought to be covered in this application. Ipropose, however, to make them the subject of a separate application forLetters Patent.

When it is desired to use the device as a stationary chair the rockersmay be locked by a hook and eye or other suitable means.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- The combination of the chair A, platform D, provided with slots 0,and the crossed legs E, connected by the plates m, and having theirupper ends supplied with pins adapted to move in the said slots,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a chair, A, platform D, provided with slots 0, andthe crossed legs E,connected bythe plates m, and supplied with the pinsn, racks u, and hinged or swinging block H, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement.in nursery-chairs,as above described, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day ofSeptember, 1880.

GEORGE W. SWAIN.

VVituesses:

CHAS. (J. GILL, PARIS L. GHALMERS.

